FORMER MUNSTER LOCK Ian Nagle — man of the match in their 2010 win over Australia —looks to be on the verge of a shock return to professional rugby 18 months after taking a break from the game.
Nagle, currently preparing for next week’s Cambridge-Oxford varsity match alongside Welsh international Jamie Roberts, is now a student in the illustrious MBA business course at Cambridge.
But a handful of offers from some of the top professional clubs in Ireland and England have 27-year-old Nagle prepared to make his comeback at the end of the college year.
It is believed that London Irish and Worcester Warriors are keen, while closer to home Munster, Leinster and Ulster have expressed an interest.
Before being accepted to the UK’s top college this September, Nagle worked in Washington DC with the aim of a future career in a venture capital firm, but despite being frustrated with his progress as a rugby player, he’s ready to give it another shot.
“I know I’m fortunate. Every reason I took a break from rugby was a positive one. I got to have a say in the break – it wasn’t enforced,” said Nagle.
“I was in no man’s land in terms of the guarantees I had. I took time away from rugby before I had the guarantee of getting into the MBA. But I knew what I wanted to do and I was fortunate to be able to transfer the discipline of what I learned in rugby into something different.
“People in Munster were very understanding. I spoke to Anthony Foley and Garrett Fitzgerald and I think they understood it. They saw the injuries I had and the timing of them and they understood that I was a bit frustrated with myself.”
The big second-row played 28 times for Munster, but last featured for the southern province in December 2013, before he moved on loan to Newcastle in the English Premiership. Injury halted his progress in the UK before he decided to make a clean break from the game altogether.
Any return home to Ireland would be an emotional trip for the Buttevant man, but he seems open to whatever opportunities comes his way.
“Munster made it clear that the door will always be open for me to come back. There were a few clubs that I spoke to before I finished with Munster and I flagged it with them too that I was thinking of taking time away from the game.
“All those clubs were all open to it too, surprisingly enough. I have kept in touch with a few of them throughout the year. If I hadn’t been accepted to the MBA I had a few opportunities to go back and play rugby, but when I got in a few of them said the door would be open for me to come back.
“There are no guarantees and no contracts signed, but all going well something will pop up in the New Year,” Nagle said.
Being behind some of Munster’s greatest ever second-rows – Paul O’Connell, Donnacha Ryan and Donncha O’Callaghan – in the pecking order certainly meant chances to shine were few and far between for Nagle, but he says it was his own frustrations that drove him back to academia and onto the cusp of the Varsity Match on 10 December.
“I found myself a little bit frustrated, but it was never at anyone or anything. It was myself I was frustrated with,” he said.
“From when I was 16 I used to travel into the gym at UL from Glenstal with Ray Egan. For nine years I sacrificed everything for rugby and I was happy to do so, but I was frustrated that I didn’t achieve everything I wanted to.
“I found myself getting more and more excited by the prospect of doing the MBA, doing a bit of travelling and getting involved in a start up, while keeping the rugby window ajar.
“Right now I’m focused on my studies, but I’m looking forward to the varsity game too. We’ll see what happens in the next few months.”
Driven guy….
Every time I read an article or a thread about Ian Nagle, someone mentions his MOTM performance against the touring Wallabies. 5 years ago. Decent player, and I wish him the best, but he needs a lot more on his playing CV than one memorable game. Although, in fairness, Leinster have form in bringing back retired players, maybe there is a contract for him
Well said. Don’t deserve all those red thumbs. That Australia match aside he never had any notable performances. Wasn’t a great player to be honest.
Tbh I don’t comment for green thumbs from the42 contributors. Nagle is an OK rugby player but Leinster need more than a guy who played great 5 years ago
They have enough of them Andrew.
Not sure how he’d fit in at Leinster, we’ve a few middle of the road IQ secondrows at the moment. This sounds very much like an agent flying a flag!
Yeah, strange article – couldn’t buy a game at Munster now he has pick of the big clubs in UK & Ireland.
He’d be worth a shout, defiantly has the talent and if he has the hunger to match it might just work.
Every IQ second row Munster have, have got to where they are the hard way. I for one would have faith in him coming back and adding considerable aggression to our Pro 12 campaign next year.
Doing the name proud!
Never really lived up to the hype and at 27 has played shocking little high level rugby. Hope he can turn it around but at this stage of his career he needs to be playing regularly to have any chance of making up for lost ground, he would be back of the queue at Munster, probably struggle to get a look in at any of the other 3 either. Best bet is surely a move to Italy or a lower French or English league for a season and get some regular gametime, then if he shows enough development move home where there is a serious lack of locks.
Purely from a rugby potential, what a lot of unrealised talent. He really had the skill-sets to become a top class second row, but instead his career stalled then nosedived with Munster.
It’s a great shame he couldn’t make the tough decisions in the formative part of his Rugby career when he was at the bottom of a long queue for game time of decent Munster second rows. (PO’C,DO’C,MO’D, Ryan for starters). He should have been up the road to Galway well before he turned 24 and got the game time/ experience his development demanded.
I really, really hope this second go works out for him, but whether he’s got the mental drive or is physically ready for the slog of the pro game again remains to be seen…
Not to be overly cynical but it does smack of somebody who has done an MBA doing a corporate-style love bombing potential clients. I didn’t read anything substantial about his current rugby life- varsity games but pro clubs expressing an interest?